The 12,000-Acre Forest Preserve at Spring Island has Served as a Benchmark for Eco-Managed Communities in the Lowcountry for Nearly 25 Years
Managed by the Spring Island Trust, the exclusive Okatie resort was the first nature-based community in the United States. It has been used as a model locally by the developers of Palmetto Bluff and a growing number of other sustainable developments across the country.
The view of the island from horseback is simply stunning. Near the marsh, reed grass rustles gently in the breeze. Thousands of shore birds are gathered here to fish and forage at low tide. As we enter the forest the wind brings scents of jasmine and honeysuckle.